Knockdown collapsible closet



(1 EQCDESEPJ114I\L KNQCKDOWN COLLAPSIBLE CLOSET Aug. 28', 1945 Filed May27 1944 INVENTOR BY T fiMrw ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,383,512 KNOCKDOWNCOLLAPSIBLE CLOSET Q v Charles,Bosenthal, New York, N. Y.

Application May 27 1944, Serial No'. 537,547 1 Claim; (o 312 144) Thisinvention has general reference to knock-down collapsible storagecontainers and particularly those of the closet or cabinet types adaptedfor the storage of clothing-which is hung up full length therein.

It has been observed that closets or cabinets of this type, whichusually include a foldable one piece body unit constructed of corrugatedpaper board, are unwieldy*and difficult for the average purchaser to setup and it is therefore the primary object of the pres ent invention toprovide in a container of this character such a construction andarrangement as to simplify and facilitate the assembly and setting upoperations.

More particularly, the invention resides in an improved collapsibleknock-down closet of; the type set forth in my prior UnitedStates"Let-*' ters Patent No. 2,299,766 which improvement embodies inaddition to the front spacing strip, hingedly connected to the top andbottom wall members and defining one of a pair of complementary units, arear spacing strip unit which is detachably associated with the rearportions of the top and bottom wall members so as to materially aid inthe setting up and assembly of the closet while further functioning,when the same is set up, to reinforce and strengthen the structure tothereby relieve the body unit of the stresses and strains which wouldotherwise be imposed thereon by the weight of the garments hanging inthe closet and supported by the top wall.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention isdisclosed in greater detail in the following specification, particularlypointed ,out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a knock-down collapsible storage closetor cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention showing the rearof the same with the rear spacing strip unit in applied position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view therethrough takenapproximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference and particularly tothe form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, the closet includesa body unit A which, as shown, is preferably fashioned from corrugatedcardboard, paper board or any other equivalent inexpensive light weightsheet material to form a one piece structure consisting of a'rear wallmember or portion ID, with oppositely disposed side wall members orportions II and I2 hingedly connected toand extending forwardly from theopposite vertical edges of the rear wall members or portions andpreferably integral therewith. The 'un'it-A-also includes a pair offront wall members or portions l3 and I4 forming closures or doors whichare hingedly'connected re-' spectively to the forward vertical edges ofthe side wall members or portions H' and 'I2 and which are preferablyintegral therewith so that i the entire body unit A may be formed from asingle sheet of material cut to size and scored.

The closet also embodies a complementary unit B adapted to interfit withthe body unit A to provide the complete closet or cabinet and which unitB is made up of top and bottom wall members i5 and I6, each of which ispreferably fashioned from a rectangular panel of corrugated paper boardenclosed in a marginal frame of wood I! having grooved inner faceswithin which are fitted the marginal edges of the panels and the outerfaces of which frames are rabbeted to provide confronting marginalrecesses 18. When the closet is in its assembled set-up condition, thetop and bottom edge portions of the rear and side wall members H], H andI2 and the front closure members l3 and M are adapted to be disposedwithin the marginal recesses l8 so that the outer faces of said bodyunit members lie approximately flush with the unrabbeted portions of theouter faces of the frames H. The unit B also includes a front spacingstrip I9, preferably constructed of wood, and which is connected at itsupper and lower ends respectively to the marginal frames ll of the topand bottom wall members l5 and I6 by means of hinges 20 to permit saidmembers to be swung inwardly from, a set-up. condition, at right anglesto the strip, to acollapsed condition parallel therewith. The spacingstrip l9 has its forward face adjacent the opposite edges longitudinallyrabbeted to provide recesses for accommodating the free vertical edgesof the 010- sure members I3 and I 4 and turn buttons 2| or equivalentmeans are provided for retaining said closure members in closedposition. Any suitable type of keeper elements 2| are pivotally mountedon the marginal frames I! for detachably retaining the upper and loweredge portions of the body unit members I 0, II and I2 within therecesses I8.

In order to provide means for facilitating and aiding in the setting upand assembly of the notches 22 opening through the forward face of thestrip C adjacent tothe upper and lower ends thereof and screws 23anchored medially of the rear portions of the frames ll of the top andbottom members I5 and I6 and protruding rearwardly therefrom, the headsof which screws. are of such a size as to snugly fit within the notches22 of the strip C so as to frictionally retain the strip in associatedrelation with the top and bottom members l5 and 16 of unit B. During thesetting up and assembly of the closet, the top and bottom members liandl6 are disposed at aright angle to-the front spacing strip I9 with thebottom member resting on the floor. The upper and lower edge portionsofthe rear wall member ID of the body unit A are then positioned in therecesses N3 of the rear portions of the frames I! of the top and bottommembers and the keeper elements or catches 2| swing to active positionoverlying the same. The rear strip unit C is then disposed in verticalposition in rear of the rear wall' member [0 and the notches 22 engagedwith the screws -23 thus steadying the assemblage while the upper andlower edge portions of the side wall members II and I2 are being locatedin the recesses I8 of the side portions of the frames l1 and the keeperelements or catches 2| have been moved to active position. In additionto serving as a means for facilitating the setting up and assembly ofthe closet, the rear spacing strip unit C also serves to reinforce andstrengthen the structure and relieve the body unit of the stresses andstrains resulting from the weight of the garments hanging from thehanger bar carried by the top member l5.

What is claimed is:

In a knock-down collapsible storage closet of the character set forth,the combination with a body unit having a rear wall memlbenside wallmembers connected to and extending forwardly from the opposite verticaledges of the rear wall member and a pair of closure members hingedlyconnected respectively to the forward vertical edges of the side wallmembers; and a complementary unit consisting of top and bottom wallmembers having inwardly offset marginal portions respectivelycomplementary to and receiving in the inwardly ofi'setportions thereofthe 20' upper and lower edge portions of the rear and side wall membersand the closure members respectively, means on the top and bottom wallmembers 'engageable with the end portions of the body unit to retain thesame within the offset marginal portions, a front spacing strip hingedlyconnected respectively at its upper and lower ends to the forwardportions of the top and bottom Wall members; means releaseably retaining"the closure members inwardly against the spacing strip; of a rearspacingstrip unit positioned outside of the rear wallmember and havingnotches adjacent its oppositeends, and means at the rear portions ofthe-top and bottom wall members disposed outwardly beyond the marginalinwardly offset portions thereof and engaging the notches of saidspacing strip unit so that the same supports the top wall member on theIbottom wall member and prevents relative vertical movementtherebetween.

CHARLES ROSENTHAL.

